South Texas

Welcome to the American Red Cross of South Texas

The American Red Cross has been serving the Rio Grande Valley since 1917. Its history is replete with examples of everyday people doing extraordinary deeds to alleviate human suffering.

The American Red Cross of South Texas serves four counties: Willacy, Cameron, Hidalgo and Starr County. Under the leadership of our board, we continue the proud tradition of helping Valley residents prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Click one of the links below to learn more about us:

Regional Leadership

Debra Murphy-Luera, Regional Chief Operating Officer

Debra has served in a variety of capacities within the American Red Cross for over 15 years. Prior to being appointed Chief Administrative Officer, Debra served as Interim Regional Chapter Executive, Regional Support Manager of the Corpus Christi Region; Chapter Solutions Manager for the Southwest Service Area and Executive Director of the Webb County Chapter. Prior to her service with the American Red Cross, Debra spent over twenty years in the broadcasting industry. Debra earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Kennedy Western University. A native of Wyoming, Debra currently resides in Corpus Christi, Texas is married with three step-children and four step-grandchildren.

Danella Hughes, Executive Director

Danella serves as the Executive Director for South Texas, where she works closely with community partners and is the face of the American Red Cross in local communities. Previously, she was the Director of Development for the McAllen Society for the Performing Arts and served as the Director of Advancement for IDEA Public Schools for the Rio Grande Valley. In both positions, she successfully oversaw all fund development opportunities including grant writing, cultivation, stewardship of donors and event planning. She also served as the Interim Executive Director at International Museum of Art & Science, where she systematically developed a proactive approach to lead the organization forward in increasing membership, revenue streams and member satisfaction. She is the Past Chairman of Leadership McAllen, Past President of American Advertising Federation-Rio Grande Valley and a past Board Member for the United Way of South Texas, where she also served two consecutive years as Campaign Chair. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from the University of Texas and an Accredited Public Relations credential from the Public Relations Society of America. Danella resides in Donna, Texas and is married with one stepson and one American Cocker Spaniel named Percy.